Privilege.
That’s what gets many into a college in the 21st century. The combination of money, connections and a priority of education drives advantaged students to the top in college admissions.
When the Varsity Blues scandal broke the news—a deliberate twisting of admissions, orchestrated by some of the rich and famous—that word is what many were thinking. These families, armed with money and the connections to inside admissions officers, were able to manipulate the process in an unfair manner.
This brought up a major issue: When higher-income families are able to pay their way through admissions, what is to become of the rest of the applicants?
Although the perpetrators of the Varsity Blues scheme have been prosecuted in years since, privilege still leaves many with questions about the true fairness of the admissions process.
The average cost of a college admissions counselor in 2023 was $5,255. To put that into perspective, that is around four months of groceries for a family of four, according to the USDA. Application fees across the board average $50, and with a quarter of students applying to more than seven colleges, that can come out to over $350 per applicant. Money and its abundance is woven throughout the admissions process, so much so that lower-income applicants are dramatically set back.
The mere fact that college consulting is such a thriving industry — the field is expected to grow 12.02% by 2031 — represents a fundamental problem in admissions. The process is becoming increasingly more expensive for students.
While colleges and universities charge an average of $25,415 for out-of-state tuition, applicants are forced to give more money to the college for the chance to get in. Going to college is already a “pay-to-play” process, and admissions fees increase this issue. While waivers exist, colleges often require separate applications for them; this can be tedious for students applying to multiple institutions, all for a process that may end in rejection.
Paying to be rejected is frustrating, that is true, but even more irritating is paying to have a chance. College consulting is that chance, and its prevalence is concerning.
Yet, privilege does not just involve money. It’s also about knowledge, that for the privileged is ingrained into their thought processes.
Many may think that it’s as easy as clicking “submit” to apply, but there are a number of “faux pas” that cannot be seen at first glance.
Reporting low AP scores.
Sending “unnecessary” information.
Oversharing in a supplemental essay.
All these things would be considered honest or helpful in any other field. In college admissions, they weigh down an application, making it less likely to be accepted.
For first-generation college applicants, family can’t pass down this knowledge. They are left to stumble through the application process, a great disadvantage to them.
For years, applying to colleges has been a minefield for the underprivileged. Lack of money and knowledge can leave many feeling stranded. However, they are helpless to the system, and the true change-makers—colleges themselves—are trapped in a cycle of greed.
